Upanishads · Chāndogya 8,2.1
॥
Devanāgarī
सः यदि पितृलोककामः भवति संकल्पात् एव अस्य पितरः समुत्तिष्ठन्ति तेन पितृलोकेन संपन्नः महीयते
Transliteration (IAST)
saḥ yadi pitṛlokakāmaḥ bhavati saṃkalpāt eva asya pitaraḥ samuttiṣṭhanti tena pitṛlokena saṃpannaḥ mahīyate
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सःsaḥhe; that one
यदिyadiif; but if
पितृलोककामःpitṛlokakāmaḥdesiring the world of the fathers (pitṛ-loka-kāma); having wished for the world of the forefathers; longing for the fathers' world
भवतिbhavatirevered lady; madam
संकल्पात्saṃkalpātby his mere intention (saṁkalpa, ablative); from a single purpose; at his bare wish
एवevaindeed; surely
अस्यasyaof this; it
पितरःpitaraḥthe fathers (pitṛ, plural); the forefathers; the fathers
समुत्तिष्ठन्तिsamuttiṣṭhantithey rise up (sam-ud + √sthā — 'to rise to meet'); they rise up; are
तेनtenawith that; by means of this
पितृलोकेनpitṛlokenaby the world of the fathers; by the fathers' region
संपन्नःsaṃpannaḥharnessed; having attained
महीयतेmahīyatehe is glorified (from √mah — 'he is magnified'); is magnified; he is glorified
Translation
If he desires the world of the fathers, then by his mere resolve the fathers arise; united with that world of the fathers, he is exalted.
Version
4c8e79313d9d · published Jul 26, 2026, 11:49:49 PM UTC
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Here begins a catalogue of true desires in action — eight pictures of the freedom of one who has found. The first is the most touching: the world of the fathers. He desires it — and "by his mere resolve the fathers arise" (saṁkalpād eva samuttiṣṭhanti): not shades and not memories, but a meeting, for in one of satya-saṁkalpa resolve and actuality are one.
Death has parted them; a true desire reunites them: for one who has found the ātman the departed are not lost, because the heart, equal in greatness to the universe (8.1.3), contains "both what is and what is not". Longing for dead parents — perhaps humanity's oldest pain — receives here not a consolation in words but a promise of meeting.